modini



(No Model.)

J. MODINI.

BXHIBITING DEVICE.

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"rarns UNITE EXHIBITING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356.005, dated January 11, 1887.

Application filed October 11,1886. Serial No. 215,921. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN MoDINI, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful-Improvements in Exhibiting Devices; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a frameand stand embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on line 00 a", Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the frame detached with the part E raised. Figs. 4 and 5 are details.

This invention relates to improvements in picture-frames and supports or exhibiting devices, and has special reference to the construction of frame and the means for suitably holding therein one or more photographs, engravings, or paintings, as will be fully understood from the following description, and particularly specified in the claims.

- In the drawings, A designates the frame proper, and Gthe supporting-stand, composed of basepiece H and easel J, as hereinafter described.

The frame A is composed of a back, B, which may be of any desired shape, either round, oval, or, as shown. in the drawings, square. Around the outer edges of the back is a re enforcing strip, a, which may, if desired, be formed integral with the back by making the latter of a suitable molding. This strip or bead a is intended to be ornamented in any desired manner, the ornamentation extending inward from the head a suitable distance on the face of back B, to present a finished appearance when the hinged outer part, E, of the frame, hereinafter described, is closed. The desired finish is effected in the present instance by the use of plush, with which the bead and the adjoining parts of the back B are covered, the plush being glued thereto, and having a number of ornamental tacks orscrews upon the outer face of the bead a, as shown in Fig. 1. At the top of back B, beneath the plush or other ornamentation, is a small lock, 6, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

G O designate cords or wires, which are respectively on the right and left and top and bottom sides of back B, being secured thereto,

just at the inner edge of the ornamented border, by means of suitable screws or tacks at each corner of the back, as shown. Upon the cords G are secured bands of ribbon or other suitable material, D, which have their ends looped around the cords, as shown, so that the bands can be adjusted upon the cords G in relation to each other and to corresponding bands, D, which are secured upon the cords O. c cdesignate bands, of material similar to bands D D, which are secured at right angles to each other centrally between the edges of back B, as shown, but are not adjustable. If desired, these bands 0 0 may be omitted when the frame is to contain only 'large pictures.

E designates the hinged outer part of the frame, which is composed of the frames F F F, corresponding in shape to the back B. The frame F lies next to back B when the part E is closed, and is made of less diameter than the back, so that when closed its outer edge will lie within the bead a thereof. This frame may be also ornamented, and is provided with the glass f. Frame F is made sufficiently small to fit snugly within frame F above the glass f, (so. that the outer faces of the frames F F are flush,) and is also ornamented in a suitable manner.

The outer frame, F, of part E is made of size that when placed above and secured to frames F F it will not cover the outer edge of the former nor the inner edge of the latter, as shown. These three frames,when thus secured together, form, with the back B, a very strong, compact, and handsome setting for the pictures therein. e

The part E is hinged at one side to the back B, opposite the look I), by means of suitable hinges, e,which are secured to the back B and frame F, respectively, and are designed to be hid from sight by the ornamentations of the frame when the part E is closed. If desired, the part E may be provided with a knob, f, by which the opening and closing of the frame is more quickly effected.

G designates the frame-support, having the base portion H, which may be of any desired contour, having preferably a straight outer edge and rounded at its rear portion. This base is provided with three notches or recesses, h, two at its front corners and one at narrowstuff, suitably ornamented, and of such rear, the notches forming a trinagle and serving a purpose hereinafter explained. The support proper is an easel, J, having the usual uprights and cross-pieces and hinged'rear leg, and the lower cross-bar is provided with two or more knobs, j, which serve to keep the frame A in position. The uppercross-piece of the easel is provided centrally with ring j, which is engaged by a hook on the back of frame A to keep the latter from tipping forward and off the easel.

The lower ends of the legs of the easel J are inserted in the recesses h of base H, as shown, and being retained therein the easel is held firmly in position when the frame A is placed thereon.

The frame A may be provided wit-h cord and attaching devices, as shown, by which it may be suspended from a wall, if desired.

I propose covering the entire device,'frame, and support with plush, and by using different shades of the same for different parts very fine effects can be obtained. The base H of the support I' also propose providing with raised plush flowers and designs, the

' same being secured thereto by a number of small bright-head tacks along the edges, so that the design will stand out in bold relief. The rear end of the base H may be raised,the rear perforation, h, permitting the rear leg of the easel to slide through it. By so doing the figures on the base are brought into moreprominence.

By the use of the adj usting-bands D D upon cords O O the interior of the frame can be divided into two or more equal or unequal compartments for the reception of small engravings or photographs, as is evident, so that each photograph will be divided from the next, and by their means the device is well adapted for exhibiting valuable laces and other articles in fancy stores.

Having described my invention, what -I claim is 1. A picture-frame having a suitable back and a hinged front and sets of cords O 0', se-

cured to the back and carrying bands D D, of suitable material, whereby the interior of the frame may be divided into two or more spaces for the reception of articles, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the back B, having the cords C O, carrying the adjustingbands D D of the part E, composed of frames F F F having glass f and hinged to back B,

and a suitable retaining device to keep the same looked, all constructed and arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a frame,of the back B, having head a, cords G O, carrying adjust ing-bands D D and fixed bands 0 c, as described, and lock 12, with the part E,'composed of inner frame, F, carrying glass f, frame F,

secured within frame F over the glass, and 6 frame F secured centrally over frames F F, hinges e e, and staple e, all constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. An exhibiting device for pictures, 810., composed of frame A and support G, the

frame A being composed of back B, having cords O O and adj usting-bands D D, operated as described, and part E, composed of frames F F F, hinged to back B and adapted to be locked thereon, as described, the part G being composed of base H, having openings or recesses h, and easel J, having knobs j, and having its feet held in the recesses h of the base H, the frame and support being highly 8o JOHN MODINI.

Witnesses:

T. H. ALEXANDER, JULIUS SoLGER. 

